The Daniello mill, recently renovated by enrico sassi architetto, is a building that stands on the banks of the Roncaglia stream, in the center of the Motta Valley Park, between the municipalities of Coldrerio and Novazzano. The building dates back to the early 1800s. The original building housed a room with three millstones and an oil mill, a stable, a garage, a barn and the rooms where the miller lived. In addition to the Daniello mill building, there are also two other buildings: a two-storey building, originally used for breeding silkworms and a shed open on the sides.
The mill consists of two buildings with traditional masonry that intersect on right angles The three original millstones and the oil mill are conserved on the ground floor of the southern body. One of the three millstones and the crusher are working and are put into operation through two external water wheels (one in wood, one in metal) fed with water from the canal.
The renovation project of the building plans to keep the volume and the original character of the building unchanged and transforming it into an educational-congress centre.
The intervention involves the conservation and enhancement of the part of the building that houses the historical activities: the ground floor with the mill room and the small house-museum of the Galli family.
The room with the machines has been restored, without any addition of thermal insulation to not compromise its original appearance.
The wooden water wheel, which was in very poor condition, has been restored. On the ground floor, the elevator-stairway block, the rooms with toilets and a new space for displaying the products of the mill and original historical objects have been added.
The new masonry interventions were made of reinforced concrete left exposed. Two spaces have been created on the first floor: a 50 m2 classroom for teaching (ancient truss room) and a multipurpose room (100 m2). The multi-purpose room is naturally illuminated by the original openings on the south side and a large new window (820cm long) that opens onto the park to the north.
The roof of the multipurpose room has a 10 m long IPE 550 profile metal ridge beam, covered and transformed into a lighting fixture. The tie rods of the trusses are galvanized steel strands (18 mm diameter) stretched on site and suspended in the centre.
The floors are concrete with added red aggregates (red marble of Verona and porphyry of Cuasso al Monte), then smoothed. Room heating is provided by two pellet stoves. Part of the original plaster was preserved where possible, the rest of the brickwork was finished with lime-based plaster. The two facades of the entrance were painted in the original yellow colour.
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Enrico Sassi (1965) architect and landscaper. Is in professional practice and teaches architecture. Coordinator of ISUP “Istituto per il Progetto Urbano e del Paesaggio” leaded by prof. arch. Jonathan Sergison, USI Accademia di Architettura, Mendrisio. He has been teacher of “Urban design” at USI Accademia di architettura, Mendrisio. He has been an editor of “archi”, a magazine of architecture and urban planning. He has an architectural practice in Lugano.
Facts & Credits
Project title: Renovation of the Daniello Mill
Typology: Renovation
Location: Coldrerio Ticino Switzerland
Year: 2015 – 2022
Architecture: enrico sassi architetto
Collaborators: Roberta Blasi, Irene Lucca
Construction supervision: Eraldo Pianetti Ing.
Civil engineer: Comal.ch SA
Electrical engineer: Elettroconsulenze Solcà SA
Lighting consultancy: Progelec sagl
Healthcare system consultant: Fabio Pinciroli
Construction Physicist: Think Exergy SA
Firefighting specialist: Angelo Fumagalli
Builder contractor: Gianini & Colombo SA
Photography: Marcelo Villada Ortiz
Text: provided by the architects
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